Annual Friends Campaign

Support an extraordinary ceramics installation commissioned by the Gardiner Museum from local artist Nurielle Stern.

The commission will be the first work displayed in the new Joan Courtois Stairwell Gallery, slated to open in 2019. Generously sponsored by the Thor E and Nicole Eaton Family Charitable Foundation, the Stairwell Gallery will showcase ceramic art bathed in the natural light of our floor-to-ceiling windows, allowing visitors to embark on an immersive art experience as they go from floor to floor. When not in use for special exhibitions, the gallery will feature objects from our permanent collection that would otherwise be in storage.

As a dedicated Friend of the Gardiner Museum, we invite you to join us in bringing Nurielle’s commission to life. This is a unique opportunity to support an emerging local artist and to play a role in welcoming an exciting new exhibition that will demonstrate the potential of our marvellous new gallery.

About the Artist

Drawing from the history of ceramics and craft, Nurielle Stern explores clay as a contemporary sculptural material. She is inspired by historical approaches to ornament, function, and storytelling in the design of common objects. By reimagining the familiar, her work encourages the seeds of new narratives to take root.

A graduate of Alfred University’s renowned MFA program in Ceramic Art (New York), Nurielle’s has exhibited at the Gardiner Museum, Harbourfront Centre, Canadian Sculpture Centre, and Craft Ontario, among other venues. Her interactive and immersive installation, The Bone Runners, was presented by the Gardiner in 2015 as part of Nuit Blanche.